He paused, coughed, and deliberately glanced around, adopting a relaxed expression: "Now that the business is over, I wonder if I would have the honor of buying you a cup of coffee?"
After finishing, he tried his best to hold his head high and puff out his chest, trying to appear calm and composed.
Xiao Qing glanced at him and softly uttered a single word:
"roll!"
The detective's face immediately fell, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes. Xiao Qing coldly said, "If you're smart, don't mess with people you can't afford to offend. And..." She stared at his face, her eyes turning icy, "I know you've secretly followed me and even secretly taken pictures of me! I'm too lazy to bother with those things, but if there's a next time, I'll just kill you, understand?"
The private investigator shuddered and hurriedly stood up to leave.
"Wait, are we just going to leave like this?" Xiao Qing casually picked up the coffee cup in front of her and took a sip.
The detective quickly turned around, took out a digital camera he was carrying, and placed it on the table. Xiao Qing nodded: "You can get lost now."
The detective hurriedly ran out, and only after reaching the hotel did he realize how strange it was: She's just a young woman, so why am I so afraid of her when she gets angry? It's unbelievable…
Xiao Qing sat there, and only after the person left did she reopen the hard-won document, frowning as she read on.
When you flip to the last page, there are two photos.
The first picture shows a beautiful woman, around thirty years old, wearing glasses, exuding the elegant charm of a mature woman, with a warm and approachable smile.
"This must be Aunt Xiao..." Xiao Qing sighed inwardly: Is this my future "mother-in-law"?
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but blush.
Then I picked up the second photo at random...
bite!!
Xiao Qing's expression suddenly changed, her arm trembled, and she knocked the coffee cup off the table! The coffee spilled on her shoes, but she seemed completely unaware.
His eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the photo!
In the photo, a boy who looks to be only fifteen or sixteen years old is smiling calmly, but his eyes, which should be full of sunshine, are faintly filled with a hint of indifference.
The boy in the photo, wearing a school uniform, is clearly from Kidd Academy!!
That handsome face, that indelible indifference in his eyes, and that hint of a sarcastic smile at the corner of his mouth.
Chen... Chen Xiao?!
Xiao Qing was stunned.
It was him? How could it possibly be him?
It was actually him... Xiao Qing suddenly felt her heart beating incredibly fast!
Chapter 215 [Home]
Chen Xiao was supposed to have dinner at Xu Ershao's house that evening, but he left the Takeuchi sisters at the hotel to rest that afternoon. After changing his clothes, he went out alone. Takeuchi Yako originally wanted to go with him, but Chen Xiao was adamant about going out alone, so she had no choice but to give up.
After leaving the hotel, Chen Xiao made a phone call, hailed a taxi, and headed south of the city.
About eight kilometers south of K City, away from the bustling downtown business district, lies a lake called "Lehu" (Joyful Lake). The lake isn't large, and its location in the south of the city reflects K City's urban planning, which prioritizes green spaces and minimal industrial activity, making it an ideal place for human habitation. Many years ago, large residential areas were developed around Lehu, including a villa district surrounding the lake itself.
The taxi drove onto a small road by Lehu Lake. The familiar buildings on both sides made Chen Xiao, who was sitting in the back seat, fall silent.
He stared intently out the car window at the lakeside on his left, at the trees, the weeping willows, and the landscaping features along the shore: the artificial hills, the benches, and the streetlights designed in the style of the Republican-era architecture…
This road was extremely smooth, and it must have cost a fortune to build. I remember often running back and forth here on roller skates back in my youth, and those row houses on the right. Hmm, I remember the first house at the intersection used to have two huge dogs, and I was terrified of those massive dogs. I often hesitated to pass by their house, only to later discover that the dogs were actually quite docile. Then there was the third house; their garden and lawn were always a mess, and they frequently threw parties late at night, making unbearable noise and constantly drawing complaints from the neighbors. And then there was the house at the end of the road; that family seemed to own several cars, and since their garage wasn't big enough, they parked them in the common area, blocking the road, which often resulted in arguments with the neighbors. When I was young, I used to secretly throw stones at their upstairs windows with a few playmates…
Thinking of all this, a faint smile involuntarily appeared on Chen Xiao's lips, her eyes unfocused as she gazed out the window...
Finally, he saw the fork in the road he knew best and sighed, "Driver, please stop."
He got out of the car. The sun was quite strong, and Chen Xiao stood in the sun, probably because of the intense heat. He felt a little dizzy and lightheaded... But then he tapped his forehead and gave a wry smile: What's wrong with me? I was this excited back then, let alone now!
We followed this fork in the road.
Yes, my "home". It's the sixth house on the left, the one with the rocking chair at the door and the green-painted steps under the eaves.
Standing before the house, Chen Xiao suddenly felt his heart begin to tremble. The rocking chair in the garden was no longer in its original place; instead, it had been reduced to several pieces of wood, simply piled up in the corner. On the eaves steps, most of the green paint had peeled off, leaving them looking mottled and worn.
The lawn in the garden was poorly maintained and overgrown with weeds. There was even moss in the corners of the walls. The potted plants that were originally planted next to the garden fence had all withered and died, and the flower pots were thrown into a dark corner on the right side of the house.
This is a three-story building. The garage door on the first floor is rusted. The original white paint is covered with unsightly yellow rust spots. The building itself, originally a European-style facade with red brick walls, also seems to be covered with a grayish color.
Chen Xiao stood outside the garden, quietly watching the small building for a good seven or eight minutes. The sun shone on him, but he seemed to feel nothing at all.
After a while, footsteps were heard behind them, and a tentative voice asked, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Chen?"
Chen Xiao turned around and saw a man who looked to be in his thirties standing in front of him.
Tall and thin, wearing glasses, with a shrewd look in his eyes, his hair was neatly combed, and he carried a small black leather bag. Despite the hot weather, he was still wearing a long-sleeved shirt.
After receiving Chen Xiao's nod of confirmation, the man's attitude immediately became enthusiastic. He quickly took out his business card and extended his hand: "Mr. Chen, I am Xiao Zhu, the real estate agent who is handling this house."
He then enthusiastically stuffed his business card into Chen Xiao's hand. However, his attitude was somewhat strange. His enthusiasm was merely a display of professional habit, while his shrewd eyes were constantly scrutinizing Chen Xiao, with a hint of doubt and unease.
After a moment's hesitation, Mr. Zhu said tentatively, "You look much younger in person than you do on the phone."
He had some doubts: the young man in front of him looked to be no more than twenty years old, and his clothes and appearance were just ordinary, but this house in front of him cost several million! This young man was so young, he didn't seem like someone who could afford to spend so much money to buy this kind of house.
Thinking of this, he tentatively asked, "Mr. Chen, where are your elders? Should we wait until everyone is here before we go in to see the house together?"
Chen Xiao smiled slightly, immediately seeing through the real estate agent's thoughts, and shook his head, saying, "No need, it's just me. This house belongs to me alone."